Boston Police Officer Collapses, Dies While On Duty

Laurel J. Sweet On Apr 11, 2014

Officer Dennis O. Simmonds

Photo credit: Boston Police Department

Funeral services for a decorated Boston police officer who was a wounded hero of the terrifying takedown of Boston Mar-athon bombing suspects Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in Watertown one year ago this week will be held Thurs--day morning at First Baptist Church in Randolph.

Officer Dennis Oliver "DJ" Simmonds Jr., 28, of Hyde Park -- who was due to receive a National Association of Police Organizations Top Cop Award in Washington, D.C., from President Obama on May 12 -- died unexpectedly in the line of duty April 10 from an apparent medical emergency suffered in a gym.

Simmonds was honored with the Boston Police Department's Schroeder Brothers Memorial Medal for his bravery during the April 19 shootout in Watertown with the Tsarnaev brothers.

Police said Simmonds suffered a head injury from an explosive device one of the terror suspects hurled at officers pursuing them.

Visiting hours will be held tomorrow from 4-8 p.m. at Cartwright Fun-eral Home, 419 N. Main St., Randolph.

The church funeral service is planned for Thursday at 11 a.m., also on North Main Street, followed by Simmonds' burial in Forest Hills Cemetery in Jamaica Plain.

Simmonds, a graduate of Randolph High and LaSalle College, is survived by his parents, Dennis R. and Roxanne G. Simmonds; his sister, Nicole A. Simmonds; and his grand-parents, Catherine Simmonds and Leonard and Delores Grant, as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins.

He died one day after Plymouth officer Gregg T. Mal-oney was laid to rest.

Maloney, 44, was killed in a motorcycle crash April 1 while on patrol.